As miniaturization of components and circuit boards advance, smaller components require precise reel-to-reel interface in order to avoid costly integration problems. A missing, wrong, or misplaced component occurring at a reel changeover connection could result in loss of an entire run of finished circuit boards, or other assembled products. A significant and expensive product loss, however, may result following a splicing error. Product loss entails a difficult re-work of devices, scrap of the circuit board assembly, for example, or even more catastrophic, a product failure in the field.
Proposed solutions include using some form of alignment tool on the alignment or splice tape, such as box-like teeth of a certain length and width, holes for receiving sprockets or knobs, color-coding spliced motion picture film. These methods are problematic because alignment tools incorporated on tape itself makes it difficult to accurately align spliced reels in an efficient manner. Production in manufacturing lines often interrupts when alignment errors in reel splicing occur. Further, previous proposed solutions do not maintain a strong, yet flexible joint when feeding the component carrier reels through machines for insertion of mechanical or electrical components. The static shock-inducing plastic carrier of previous designs is further problematic in previous splicing tapes. Universal use of a single splice tape design could apply to numerous sizes, shapes, and widths of component carrier reels.
Therefore, a need exists for a method to error proof reel splicing to prevent costly interruptions of manufacturing lines. Using an improved, cost-efficient splice tape to accurately align and connect component carrier reels will result in accurate component placement into various devices from properly aligned component carrier reels.